The 2013 non-waiver trade deadline in Major League Baseball will come on July 31st and with the All-Star break approaching, most organizations competing for a postseason spot will look to bolster their rosters while some bottom feeders will look to sell in hopes to getting better in the future.
One of those teams looking to improve according to multiple sources is the Texas Rangers. Watching their reliable designated hitter Lance Berkman land on the disabled list with hip inflammation recently, Bleacher Report indicates that since Texas needs an added bat, Chicago Cubs outfielder Alfonso Soriano could find his way back to the American League.
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The 37-year-old seven-time All-Star played with the New York Yankees from 1999 through 2003 before moving to the Texas Rangers. Remaining with Texas for 2 seasons before spending the 2006 campaign with the Washington Nationals, Soriano went on to sign with the Cubs in 2007 and he's been productive ever since.
His finest season came in 2002 with the Yankees where a then 26-year-old Soriano hit .300, drove in 102 RBI's while hitting 39 home runs and stealing 41 bases. His best season with Chicago came last year, driving in 108 runs and clubbing 32 home runs.
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Dealing for Soriano would give Texas a reliable designated hitter and someone who can also play the outfield. Right fielder Nelson Cruz currently leads the Rangers in home runs and RBI's with 22 and 68 respectively and adding the strong bat of Soriano (15 HR, 47 RBI in 2013) would certainly give the American League Wild Card-leading Rangers extra pop in the line-up. Though they could use his bat, Soriano is owed $26 million so it will be interesting to see if the Rangers or any MLB team will take on that contract through a trade.
Cubs Retooling For Future?
While Alfonso Soriano will certainly continue to come up in trade discussions before the July 31st deadline hits, his teammate and starting pitcher Matt Garza may also be on the move.
The 29-year-old would be a great addition to any contending team because of the playoff experience he possesses. One of the more reliable pitchers in the American League as a member of the Tampa Bay Rays, Garza made postseason appearances in 2008 and 2010, becoming the 2008 American League Championship Series MVP after posting 2-0 record in the series victory over the Boston Red Sox that sent the Rays to the World Series.
"He's the best guy on the block and they know it, so they are looking for the kind of package the Brewers got for Zack Greinke," a National League executive told The Sporting News recently. "They know the choices are thin and now they put it out there that they have discussed an extension, so of course the price can now go up."
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Teams including the Rangers, Boston Red Sox, Washington Nationals and Toronto Blue Jays have all shown interest in possibly dealing for Garza who is 5-1 with a 3.22 ERA in 10 starts this season.
Other Notable Teams Looking To Deal
As the deadline approaches it will certainly be interesting to see what some of the other teams around the league do.
The New York Yankees currently sit 2.5 games behind the Rangers in the Wild Card race and 6 games behind American League East-leading Boston. While Derek Jeter and Curtis Granderson are close to returning to everyday play following long-term injuries, the Yankees are in serious need of offensive help.
According to the New York Daily News, the Yankees are exploring the possibility of trading relief pitcher Joba Chamberlain to the Philadelphia Phillies in exchange for Michael Young and Carlos Ruiz. Young is batting .289 this season with 6 home runs and 26 RBI in 84 games while Ruiz stands at .259 with no homers and 6 RBI in 35 games.
With only 3 weeks remaining before the trade deadline, it will certainly be interesting to see what moves actually come to fruition as teams around the league look to make second half pushes towards the playoffs.
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